Start a Student Chapter
Looking to initiate or reestablish a student chapter at your college? Here are the steps you should take!
Identify a Faculty Advisor. Your faculty advisor must be a member of ACDA.
Gather a group of interested students. Anyone interested in choral music can be a student member of ACDA. You do not have to be in a specific degree program.
Let CT-ACDA know! Email collegiate@ctacda.net with your university, advisor’s name and email, and chapter leader(s)’ name(s) and email(s) so we can keep our information up to date.
Register with ACDA National. Complete the Student Chapter Registration Form: https://forms.gle/zVq9sEFfWJ93uBZ5A
Review the Student Chapter Manual. Find governance information, meeting templates, and other resources. https://acda.org/resources-for-student-members
Here is some more helpful information from ACDA National on getting your chapter up and running!
The Collegiate Voice
Have an idea for CT-ACDA?
Submit an event idea, resource request, suggestion, or piece of feedback anytime.
https://forms.gle/cPqqJViEsewuCreMA
Idea Bank
Looking for ideas for your student chapter? Below are some of the social events, fundraisers, and professional development opportunities that existing chapters have tried and loved!
Social Events
Themed Reading Sessions
Have your advisor or executive board choose a few choral pieces (ideally from your schools’ library) and have upperclassmen volunteer to conduct! Give members the opportunity to explore works they haven’t seen before while providing conducting and rehearsal opportunities for students.
Holiday Potluck
Host a group dinner for members and friends! Create a spreadsheet where people can sign up to bring food and list any allergens. Play some calming music, and end the gathering with Just Dance or another fun activity!
Open Mic
Partner with a local business or coffee house to host an open mic. This is a great opportunity to showcase original compositions, member talent, and the creativity within your ACDA community!
Movie Night
Bring some snacks and have a movie night! Watch a music related movie with your ACDA family. Personal suggestions include: Mr. Holland’s Opus (bring tissues), Amadeus (if you’re singing Mozart!), Mamma Mia (because why not?), etc.
Yoga for Musicians
Host a group yoga class or meditation session for music students! This can be a great way to relax, de-stress, and take some time away from the rehearsal room.
Themed Craft Nights
Whether it's pumpkin painting, valentines day cards, or general paint night, gather your membership to have a relaxing evening of crafting and fun!
Field Trips!
Organize a carpool and take your chapter on a field trip! Try seasonal activities such as apple picking or ice skating, or attend a local concert together!
Fundraisers
Bake Sale
Divide and conquer, or have an executive board bake night! Sell baked goods at a popular spot on campus, or in your music building between classes. Make sure to check your University’s policies on selling food first! One chapter found success charging $2.00 per baked good, with a “2 for $3.00” deal!
Partnerships With Local Businesses
Partner with local restaurants or businesses that offer fundraising programs, where a portion of purchases made by supporters goes toward your chapter. Some successful partnerships have included Playa Bowls, Gansett Wraps, EatJoy Cafe, and more!
Candy Grams
Offer seasonal grams—candy canes, Halloween treats, Valentine’s Day goodies, etc. where classmates, family members, and community members can purchase goodie bags or grams with personalized messages for students in your program!
Professional Development
Conferences
Attend state, regional, and national conferences! Conferences are a great way to learn, discover new repertoire and ideas, and network with fellow choral colleagues! CT-ACDA hosts the Emerging Professionals Summit each year, specifically geared toward collegiate members and emerging professionals!
Guest Speakers
Bring in a guest speaker for your chapter! Not sure who to ask? Reach out to a CT-ACDA or other ACDA board member (regional or national) and invite them to kick off your year by sharing why ACDA is important to them. Consider bringing in speakers from all areas of choral music—worship, community choirs, children’s choirs, collegiate music, K–12 education, and more!
Alumni Roundtable
Invite graduates back to your university for a discussion on career development! Consider inviting alumni at different stages in their careers, and discussing the challenges, opportunities, and realities of working in the field.
Admin Workshop
Ask your advisor or another professional to lead a workshop on the administrative side of running a choral program. Topics could include job applications and mock interviews, budgeting, parent communication, scheduling, recruitment, and more!
Vocal Pedagogy
Ask a faculty member or other professional to lead a workshop on vocal anatomy, vocal pedagogy, and vocal health. Discuss how to take care of your own voice while teaching and how to support healthy singing in your choirs!
Band 101
Have an instrumental professor or upperclassmen lead a crash course in instrumental methodology. Learn the basics of working with instrumentalists and get tips and tricks for collaborating across musical disciplines.
Musician Mental Health
Collaborate with your university’s mental health center, or invite a professional to discuss mental health and wellness for musicians. Topics could include setting boundaries, learning how to say no, managing workload, dealing with performance anxiety, and finding work-life balance.
Master Work Reading Session
Collaborate with peers to read through a major choral work—Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and more! Expand your knowledge of major repertoire and gain experience conducting or singing through a work in a low-stress environment.
Mini Conference
Host your own mini conference at your university. Utilize faculty knowledge, campus resources, and your chapter’s connections to create a day of workshops, discussions, reading sessions, and networking.
Resource Booklet
Collaborate with faculty and students to create a resource booklet featuring favorite warm-ups, rehearsal activities, repertoire recommendations, conducting tips, or other resources that can be shared with your chapter and future members.
Keep Your Info Current
New officers, adviser, or contact info? Keep your chapter’s information current on this site - just email ctacda@ctacda.net!
CT-ACDA Collegiate Resources
CT-ACDA College Radio!
What are you listening to? Add your favorite choral pieces, new discoveries, and songs you can’t stop playing to the ACDA College Radio playlist! This collaborative playlist is a place for collegiate members across Connecticut to share what’s inspiring them, introduce each other to new music, and build a soundtrack for the CT-ACDA collegiate community.
CT-ACDA Collegiate Calendar
Here is your go-to place for finding dates, times, and locations for collegiate choral performances, collegiate ACDA events, local concerts and events, professional development opportunities, and more!
To have an event added to the calendar, email collegiate@ctacda.net with the event details. Come support your fellow choral musicians and stay connected with the collegiate choral community across Connecticut!